HEALTH SCHEME: Free children’s medicines now available to parents from pharmacies

Ben Green

A new scheme aimed at taking pressure off GPs means that parents can now get medicines for their children such as Calpol free of charge from pharmacists.

If you or your children don’t pay for prescriptions you can use the NHS Minor Ailments service to get advice and medicines free of charge.

Pharmacist Bobby Mehta, of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “Pharmacies run schemes that deal with specific ailments, such as aches and pains, skin conditions and stomach upsets.

“If your pharmacy runs such a scheme, the pharmacist will be able to assess your needs, give you advice, suggest medicines if appropriate, and refer you to a GP if necessary.”

If you don’t pay for prescriptions you may be able to receive advice and be given a medicine for a range of minor ailments, free of charge, on the NHS, without having to visit your doctor first. Minor ailments could include coughs, colds, headaches, hay fever, insect bites and stings, eczema, earache and diarrhoea.

As children are exempt from prescription charges, it also means any parent can go to their local pharmacy and get free treatments if their child is suffering from problems including head lice, verrucas or warts, nappy rash or hay fever.